New Mexico - American Philatelic Society

New Mexico Purchase and Expeditions
Louisiana Purchase Exposition: Map of Louisiana Purchase
10¢ • Scott 327 • 1904
Louisiana Purchase
37¢ • Scott 3782 • 2003
In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson realized the economic importance of New Orleans and the land west of the
Mississippi for a young, developing United States. France had just lost their colony of Saint Dominigue (now Haiti)
which prompted them to abandon their plans for an empire in the Americas. When envoys were sent to France to
negotiate the purchase of New Orleans, France offered their entire holdings in North America to the United States.
The final cost of what is now known as the Louisiana Purchase was $15 million, or about five cents per acre.
A portion of New Mexico was included in the Louisiana Purchase.
Coronado Expedition
3¢ • Scott 898 • 1940
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado (1510–1554) was
the first European to explore Southwest United
States. As a governor of one of Mexico’s western
provinces, he searched in vain for the treasure
rumored to be located in the fabled seven Golden
Cities of Cibola. Thinking the treasure may be
further north, and wanting to convert the native
Americans to Christianity, Coronado organized a
troop of Spaniards and Mexican slaves and moved
north into the United States, including parts of
New Mexico. His search for gold, silver, and other
treasures was a failure.
Although Coronado’s expedition is generally
considered a failure, his travels opened the
American Southwest to further exploration.
Spanish Settlement of the Southwest
32¢ • Scott 3220 • 1998
In 1598 an expedition of approximately 400
soldiers and settlers led by Don Juan de Onate
headed north from Mexico to explore what is now
the Southwestern United States. On the upper Rio
Grande River, near the present town of Espanola,
New Mexico, Onate founded the colony of San
Gabriel de Yunque. It was the first permanent
European colony in New Mexico.
This stamp marks the “cuarto centennial” of
this colony and of the El Camino Real de Tierra
Adentro (the Royal Road to the Interior Land),
which the explorers followed to reach their
destination.
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